Scarce Resource

ARTICLES ABOUT SCARCE RESOURCE BY DATE - PAGE 2

NEW DELHI: Third Generation Mobile (3G) spectrum should be resonably priced to ensure its appropriate utilisation with full efficiency though a full-fledged spectrum policy is yet to be near sight, according to officials in Department of Telecom. Spectrum are airwaves over which mobile telephony works and 3G spectrum will allow operators to offer high speed internet connections, video streaming and other value added services. "We have to keep the national objective of growth and affordable prices for telecom services.

NEW DELHI: The finance ministry has proposed a compromise formula for putting a value to the scarce 3G spectrum. It has recommended that operators should be charged a base entry fee to begin with and subsequently a revenue share for the use of 3G spectrum. Trai had suggested there should be no entry fee for providing 3G services, while Ratan Tata had offered to pay a one-time entry fee of Rs 1,500 crore because it was a scarce resource. The ministry, in its proposal, says the entry fee should not be so high that competition is throttled and the price of services becomes high.

NEW DELHI: With the hullabaloo over export of iron ore, what has escaped attention is that India, which accounts for just about 1 PER CENT of chrome ore reserves in the world, exports 33 PER CENT of the global trade in chrome ore and concentrates. Reason enough for the ferro alloy and stainless steel producers to howl in protest. In '04-05, India exported 1,165,000 metric tonnes of chrome ore with Orissa Mining Corporation accounting for 328,000 tonnes and Tata Steel exporting 541,000 tonnes.

NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator Trai would come out with a consultation paper on spectrum, dealing with issues like usage and pricing, this week. "In three-four days we will release a consultation paper on spectrum, which will look into the issues like efficient use of spectrum as well as pricing," Trai chairman Pradip Baijal said at a Ficci interaction. He said Trai would interact with the industry on the right way forward with regard to spectrum issues. "Spectrum will be a scarce resource as the mobile users are growing and other possible uses of spectrum are also emerging," he said.

You have in your editorial 'Involve stakeholders' ( ET , July 10) rightly stated that the Cauvery issue needs to be de-politicised by the inclusion of the elected representatives of the entire basin in the Cauvery River Authority instead of the chief ministers of the concerned states as at present. One cannot but agree with you that the problem is not only of sharing water but also of one of making effective use of a scarce resource. Drought must be seen from a national perspective.